This invention relates to magnetic tape reproduction apparatus, and more particularly to a device for directly indicating within a magnetic tape cartridge the individual programs currently being reproduced.
An increasingly large segment of the musical industry concerns recordings which are placed on a magnetic tape located within a cartridge for reproduction in the home or automobile in an appropriate magnetic tape reproduction apparatus. The conventional magnetic tape cartridge is generally rectangular on its top and bottom sides, with program indicia being located on its top side. However, when the tape cartridge is inserted within a magnetic tape reproduction apparatus, only a small portion of the cartridge protrudes from the reproduction apparatus, and as a consequence, all program indicia located on the cartridge is hidden from view.
The present invention provides for continual display of indicia regarding particular programs being reproduced from the magnetic tape cartridge while the cartridge is inserted within a reproduction apparatus. An opening is provided in the end of the tape cartridge and a program indicator shaft having at least four sides, with each side having thereon written information regarding the particular programs located on a particular track of the magnetic tape. A drive shaft extending along one side of the cartridge engages the program indicator shaft, the drive shaft being engaged through an aperture in the side of the tape cartridge by drive means located within the magnetic tape reproduction apparatus. The drive means is connected in parallel with the program indicator lights in the magnetic tape reproduction apparatus such that when the apparatus switches from one track of the magnetic tape to another, the drive means will rotate the drive shaft and program indicator shaft so that new indicia representative of the programs located on the newly selected track will appear through the opening. To initially synchronize the program indicator shaft with the program lights in the magnetic tape apparatus, a knurled knob is provided on the program indicator shaft for manual rotation thereof.